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Jon Benninger

Jon Benninger is the vice president of business development for the Health & Nutrition Network at VIRGO. He works on new products, international efforts, industry outreach and advocacy, content development, partnerships and collaborations, and strategic planning. Jon volunteers for many industry associations, committees and initiatives, is a frequent speaker and moderator at industry events, and assists VIRGO clients with solutions and strategies.. He joined VIRGO in 1995 and has served as editor, publisher, and group publisher prior to his current position. He earned a degree in journalism at Arizona State University.

Harkin and Hatch Intro DSHEA Bill

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Posted in Blog, Topics, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Government, Industry News, Legislation, New Dietary Ingredients (NDIs), US Congress
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Today, Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), introduced the "Dietary Supplement Full Implementation and Enforcement Act of 2010" which would provide $20 million to FDA to enforce DSHEA and require additional FDA action. One the reasons that FDA cites for its slow pace of implementation and enforcement is a lack of resources, which this bill would address. It would also require the agency to finally issue its guidance for New Dietary Ingredients (after 16 years of hand wringing), and to provide an annual accountability report to Congress stating how many GMP inspections the agency has conducted, how many NDI notifications it has reviewed, and summarizing the enforcement actions taken by the agency. A little accountability would go a long ways for this agency that has been seriously lacking in that department for a long time. I don't know that this bill will move, but at a minimum it is good timing with tomorrow's hearing likely to raise questions about supplements, and with some out there who still think the McCain-Dorgan bill was a good idea. I am still puzzled how anyone can suggest that DSHEA should be changed or gutted when the FDA has never implemented and enforced the law. Doing so would simply confirm to FDA that it is more powerful than Congress and can do whatever it wants. I'm pretty sure some in the agency believe that, but I don't. Hats off to Senators Harkin and Hatch for continuing to fight for what is right.
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